Classifications

• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F8/00—Arrangements for software engineering
• • G—PHYSICS
  • G06—COMPUTING; CALCULATING OR COUNTING
  • G06F—ELECTRIC DIGITAL DATA PROCESSING
  • G06F8/00—Arrangements for software engineering
  • G06F8/40—Transformation of program code
  • G06F8/51—Source to source

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system which assists in the development of software products according to a described set of procedures, and more particularly, to an interactive support medium which automatically monitors, records, invokes and suggests past, present and future actions according to a set of procedures such as those found in many methods related to computer program design.
• Computer-Aided Software Engineering (“CASE”) environments have become not only helpful but, in many instances, essential for complex software projects; just as Computer-Aided Design (“CAD”) systems have become essential for complex hardware projects.
• Software engineering environment generally refers to an operating system environment and a collection of tools or subroutines which function within the realm of conditions generated by the developing computer program.
• U.S. Patent No. 4,809,170 to Leblang et al. teaches a support system for computer aided software engineering applications.
• the support system of Leblang monitors changes made in the developing system and records such changes for future retrieval. In addition, the system notifies concurrent users of the system of any such changes.
• Leblang does not teach a support system that automatically invokes various program construction tools and interactively forwards suggestions to the user.
• CASE systems assist users in ways other than code generation. For example, tasks undertaken by software developers which modify a particular aspect of the program not only affect program module elements but other non-code elements of the program as well. Adding an enhancement to the program may also demand updating the program's design specification, user manual, and on-line "help" files. Some steps may involve off-line activities such as communicating the change to others working on the program or using the program, constructing floppy disks for the updated program and transmitting the new disks to programmers and users.
• the software development process involves much more than just programming, and a practical software development environment should support more than just programming.
• Process programming implements software processes as software. This approach describes as much as possible of the software process by means of a formal language, and the process description is interpreted by the computer which can then guide the user in how to execute a specific task.
• Prior art process programming techniques while arguably operating as software development assistance means, do not provide the user with flexible assistance. Instead, prior process programming forces the user to proceed through a variety of different steps in the development process. Users, however, reluctantly accept the forced regiment imposed by the process programming technique.
• the present invention includes a method of providing interactive support for the development of a software product according to a specified software process.
• the method comprises the first step of defining a software process in a specific language which relates the set of steps used in the development of a software product.
• the description created must then be converted into a form executable by an interpreter.
• the method generates a menu of choices in which each of the choices constitutes a suggestion regarding possible actions relevant to the specified software process.
• the user selects one of the choices; whereupon, one of a group of system tools may be initiated and a tool operation performed.
• the user can also initiate tool operations directly.
• the results of any operation performed via the tool are tracked to see if it is relevant to the process. An analysis of the results is made, and as an effect, other system tools or other tool operations may be automatically initiated. Subsequently, the user is provided with feedback which covers the current status of the development in light of the prior steps taken.
• the method of the present invention includes consistency checks which are specified in a formal process description. These consistency checks can occur after each usage of the system tools and reports of errors discovered during the consistency checks are created.
• An additional element of the aforementioned method permits browsing through objects within a data base associated with the development. Searching for specific objects within the data base may occur as may initiation of any of the available system tools from the browser.
• the invention is a computer system which provides interactive support during a development phase according to a specified software process.
• the interactive support system includes a means for specifying and storing a formal process description. Further provided within the system is a means for the transformation of the functional process description into an interpretable form.
• the interpreter includes an expert system as well as a data base that is electronically accessible to the logic interpreter.
• a message handler which is electronically linked to the logic interpreter handles the communication with a group of system tools which are configured to perform specific tasks related to the described process.
• a user interface graphically communicates with the user of the system and allows user input as well.
• FIG. 1 is a block diagram illustrating the steps needed to define a formal specification of a process
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram illustrating the steps required to make a formal specification executable
• FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the primary components of an expert system as may be employed in the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a block diagram illustrating the primary components of the support system of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 is a flow diagram wherein the steps preformed in the interactive support of the process are illustrated in sequential order;
• FIG. 6 is a flow diagram of the browser feature of the present invention.
• FIG. 7 is a flow diagram illustrating the initiation and operation of the tool functions
• FIG. 8 shows the elements comprising an activity utilized in accordance with the teachings of the present invention
• FIGS. 9A-9C are flow diagrams of different parts of the method of processing data in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 10 is a flow diagram further illustrating the method of processing data in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 11 is a flow diagram further illustrating the usage of graphical symbols within the method of processing data in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating a method of data retrieval utilizing the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 13 is a flow diagram further illustrating the method of processing data, and in particular, teaches execution of an activity pursuant to the principles of the present invention
• FIG. 14 is a flow diagram further illustrating, in diagrammatic form, execution of an activity not supported by a tool in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• FIG. 15 is a flow diagram illustrating completion of the data processing subprocess. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
• Every a user of a support system is doing can be related to the accomplishment of a goal, for example, to create a new software product.
• the term "process” is used to describe the steps needed to accomplish such goals, including the order in which such steps occur and the like. Processes are a natural way to structure the work of a designer. The description of a process, therefore, must be the result of a careful analysis by experts of how a desiiner should proceed in an optimal way in order to achieve the intended goal.
• PDL Process Description Language
• the PDL description must be executable, otherwise it would only be a description comparable to a textual description.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the initial steps of process definition.
• the process requirements are analyzed in block 300 and an informal model of the process is then created in block 302 (as for example, a textual description).
• blocks 300 and 302 we have an informal indication of what results should be produced and which different steps need to be taken in the process.
• a PDL process specification is created in block 304, while the information model of the process, such as data schemes, are fabricated in block 306.
• the PDL specification is made by system designers responsible for the support system and who specialize in developing processes tailor-made to the needs of a specific company and/or for a specific purpose, e.g., feature design, fault reports, etc. (although an ordinary user could in principle also design a process description).
• the PDL description for example, contains a number of basic features. First, it describes the breakdown of a process into separate subprocesses, each subprocess describing tasks that can be performed in parallel with tasks described by other subprocesses so as to increase productivity. This closely matches the situation a designer faces using a modern workstation, where a number of computer tools can be executed in parallel.
• each of the tools would then be described by some process in PDL, the subprocess describing what should be achieved by using the tool and how the tool interacts with the other subprocesses or tools.
• the subprocess describes how the tasks described by different subprocesses interact by specifying events that are communicated asynchronously between the processes.
• the PDL description describes conditions for the start and finish of a specific subprocess.
• the different steps and activities comprising a subprocess, e.g., edit, compile, link, test, and for each of the activities the conditions that need to be fulfilled in order to start that step or activity.
• the PDL description illustrates the interaction with the user by dictating how to present information about the state of the process and which possible steps are appropriate to be executed at the present state of the process.
• the PDL description assures flexibility by presenting the user with a number of suggestions relevant to the current state of the process, any of which the user is free to choose. Thus, the support system does not force the user to follow a certain choice of actions.
• the user can perform activities directly, without using the choices presented by the present invention.
• FIG. 2 there is shown the steps needed to be taken in order to execute the PDL description of the process defined in FIG. 1 and thus give assistance for some particular process.
• the PDL description of the process is created.
• This description is then analyzed and converted in block 352 to the appropriate format for the assistant logic interpreter.
• the description is loaded into the assistant logic interpreter 44 (see FIG. 4) at block 354 so that the system can provide the necessary support for the user.
• steps are taken by a system programmer in order to prepare the support system to give the assistance expressed in the PDL description.
• this readies the second aspect of the invention, i.e., the assistance element.
• the assistant logic interpreter 44 starts to interpret the converted format of the PDL description, thereby giving assistance to the designer trying to accomplish his task.
• assistant logic interpreter 44 Another name for a PDL description is "assistant logic," since PDL describes the logic of the assistant, i.e., how it works.
• Shadow objects represent the "real" objects, files, descriptions, etc. which the designer is creating and working with as a part of his task.
• These shadow objects are used in the assistant logic to keep track of the status of each of the real objects with respect to the process describing the work. By keeping track of the state of the objects, conditions can be checked in order to see if new actions are appropriate and in that case suggest them to the user.
• These shadow objects are part of the information model described in FIG. 1.
• FIG. 3 there is shown a block diagram illustrating the primary components of an expert system, similar to the expert system 20 of the present invention.
• the typical expert system relies upon a corpus of knowledge that accumulates during the creation of the system itself.
• This corpus of knowledge resides within the knowledge base 30 of the expert system 20.
• Information stored within the knowledge base 30 may be broken down into categorical units and discrete sections of the knowledge base 30. This aspect is shown through the #1KB and the #2KB contained in the knowledge base 30.
• the knowledge required for proper operation of the support system 8 must be explicit and accessible to the expert system 20.
• the general problem solving element of the expert system 20 comprises the inference engine 32.
• the inference engine 32 invokes rules stored within the rule base 34.
• the inference engine 32 determines how the rules contained within the rule base 34 apply to the problem at hand and the order in which these rules should be executed.
• Many of the rules in the expert system 20 take the form of heuristics which consist of simplified approaches to the search for a solution.
• the inference engine 32 scans data in the data base 36, matching data with the criteria from the rule base 34.
• the heuristic approach relating to the rule base 34 generates information for the knowledge base 30.
• the rules employed in the process originate from an expert 38, with no specific order being required for the rules. Further, the information in the knowledge base 30 undergoes real time updating during the operation of the expert system 20.
• operation of the expert system 20 may proceed by utilizing the induction engine 40 to formulate rules for the rule base 34.
• the induction engine 40 operates by deriving general principles applicable to the process from particular information found within the knowledge base 30.
• the expert 38 can either provide rules directly or give examples which can be converted to rules by the induction engine 40.
• FIG. 4 there is shown a block diagram of the support system illustrating the component parts thereof in accordance with the teachings of the present invention.
• the preferred embodiment of the present invention resides in a computer 41 which is adapted to execute pre-established sequences of logic statements (i.e., programs and/or firmware) and to read from and write to memory.
• the assistant 12 Central to the operation of the support system 8 is the assistant 12.
• the assistant 12 comprises the assistant logic module 42 and the assistant logic interpreter 44.
• the assistant logic module 42 consists of a converted PDL description as described above, which defines the process and represents the goal to be achieved.
• the assistant logic interpreter 44 houses the expert system 20.
• the expert system is programmed in ProKappa language as designed by Intellecorp, Inc., 1975 El Camino Real West, Mountain View, California.
• the present invention adds graphics to the supplied ProTalk language for increased operational simplicity.
• the assistant 12, and specifically the assistant logic interpreter 44 communicate through the message handler 46 with tools in the support system, including but not limited to, compilers and editors.
• the tool and the tool functions are the basic building blocks in terms of which the process is expressed, and the way through which the process is implemented in the support system. In this way most of the process specific knowledge can be allocated to the PDL description instead of in the tools. Therefore the different tools are easier to reuse in other processes, and the tools do not have to be changed when the process is modified.
• the data base 36 also connected to the assistant 12 is the data base 36.
• the data base 36 both stores information generated or processed by the support system 8 in general as well as provides access for the assistant logic interpreter 44 and the assistant logic 42 to previously stored process information.
• each of the tools 22 operate in parallel with each of the other tools 22 (in different UNIX processes if implemented on a UNIX platform).
• Each tool interacts with the assistant 12 by exchanging messages regarding the current status of actions being taken by that tool.
• many concurrent activities occur within the support system 8, and each of these concurrent activities is monitored and analyzed by the assistant 12.
• the user interface 48 communicates to the user 16 the status of the process and provides the user with guidance in performing the activities defined by the process.
• the user interface comprises the only element of the assistant 12 apparent to the user 16.
• the expert system 20 in the assistant analyzes the actions of the user 16 (through messages received from the tools or choices made in the assistant user interface) in the context of the current process and generates the proper graphical information for the particular situation.
• the user interface 48 communications of information is possible using a number of different representations.
• the information displayed may take the form of lists, or could take the form of graphical representations as well as flow charts.
• the numerous interfaces available are illustrated by means of the block 50 representing a first alternative interface and the block 52 , representing a second alternative interface. The user has the choice as to which mode of interface is most appropriate with his or her skills and the task at hand.
• FIG. 5 there is shown a more detailed flow chart describing the way in which the assistant works in run time, when the assistant logic interpreter 44 is loaded with the process description, as described above. From the flow chart it is apparent that the assistant 12 depends on a number of factors regarding the tools 22 that are part of the support system 8.
• the assistant 12 must be able to start the tools 22 and to invoke tool functions. This is done through a message handler 46 that takes care of communication.
• the tools must report different events taking place, since most of the tool events have relevance to the state of the process and the achievement of the design goal, such as modifying a file, creating an interface description, or compiling a program. Which events a tool should report is decided when the process description describing the task is designed.
• the system 8 allows the user 16 to start tools by other means than the activity windows 48-52 handled by the assistant.
• the user can also execute different tool functions directly from the tools that are not necessarily shown as suggestions in the activity windows. Therefore, the assistant 12 and the assistant logic 42 must be able to handle events originating from different tools at any time. This is possible since the PDL description, which describes what to do when an event occurs, only refers to the current state of the process, not to the order in which events have occurred (this is possible using the triggering mechanisms of the underlying expert system) . Any event, therefore, is interpreted in terms of the state of the process, regardless of if it was related to a suggestion from the assistant 12 or not.
• the user 16 selects the task that he or she should perform.
• the task could be the design of a new software product, or taking care of an error report.
• the assistant 12 selects the appropriate PDL description of the particular task (this is done internally and automatically within the assistant) . This description has previously been analyzed and converted as described in FIG. 2. Proceeding on to block 62, the current state of the process describing the task is loaded into the assistant 12 from the database 36. This loading is most relevant when the user 16 has previously worked on the task and saved the status of the prior work.
• the assistant 12 makes suggestions on the actions to be taken based upon the current state of the process. The manner in which the suggestions are shown depends upon the user interface employed as described above.
• Block 65 describes the assistant waiting for events occurring in the support system 8.
• the branch to block 66 indicates that a tool reports the result of a function invocation as an event to the assistant 12.
• block 67 changes the state of the process, since it is derived from the events taking place in the support system. If the user 16 had made a selection of one of the assistant's suggestions from within the activity window, block 68 would be active. If the branch from block 68 to block 69 is followed, and the suggestion selected from within the activity window involves executing tool function, the tool 22 is started (if needed) and the proper function called via the message handler 46. Proceeding on to block 70, the state of the process is changed, reflecting the invocation of the tool function. If, however, the suggestion selected by the user 16 does not involve invoking a tool function, the internal state of the process is changed through the mere selection made by the user 16. In thirs case, the user 16 usually indicates that some manual activity has been performed in the process.
• the assistant 12 deduces the effects of the change. As a result of the analysis conducted in block 72 the assistant may then automatically invoke other tools in block 73. Further, as a result of the analysis in block 72 a consistency check between different information elements may automatically be precipitated in block 74 and the errors found therein would then be reported in block 75. Additionally, the assistant 12 may, as a result of the analysis of block 72, deem automatic tool invocation unnecessary and, instead, generate a new set of suggestions for the user 16. The new set of suggestions are based upon the new process state created, whereupon the cycle is repeated. If, however, the user 16 wishes to quit that occurs in block 77 and the state of the process is saved in block 78.
• the browser server 90 aspect of the present invention which comprises an independent element of the support system 8.
• the browser server 90 allows the user 16 to look for objects in the system data base 36 and to select those objects without direction from the assistant 12.
• the browser server 90 does not provide suggestions to the user 16.
• Found objects such as descriptions, flow charts, programs, etc. may be examined through the browser server 90, and tool operations on the object can be initiated.
• the browser server 90 begins with the start browser block 92.
• the user 16 at block 93 and 94, can search for and select an object in the system data base 36.
• a menu can be displayed, at block 95, of available operations for the object.
• the block 96 starts the tool 22 and this fact is reported to the assistant 12 in block 98.
• the user 16 may interact with the support system 8 in a variety of ways, one of which being through the browser server 90, and still getting support from the assistant.
• FIG. 7 there is shown a flow diagram of tool function invocation. Since the user 16 can initiate the tools 22 without help from the assistant 12 the user 16 can also execute different tool functions that are not necessarily shown as suggestions in the activity window handled by the assistant 12 (as described above in the browser aspect). Thus, the assistant 12 and the assistant logic 42 must be able to handle events originating from various tools at any given time. This is possible because the PDL description, which describes what to do when an event occurs, refers only to the current state of the process, not to the order in which activities have been performed as mentioned above. Any event, therefore, is interpreted in terms of the state of the process regardless of whether or not the assistant forwarded it in terms of a suggestion.
• the tool must function in the following manner.
• the tool function is started at block 370, and this fact is reported to the assistant.
• the tool can accept an invocation of a tool function in block 371.
• the tool function is invoked either through the assistant 12 via block 372 or through the tool user interface via block 374.
• the tool function is performed at block 376, and, if required by the process, the results therefrom are reported to the assistant 12 at block 378.
• the tool functions relevant to the process (and thus required to be reported to the assistant) are determined during design of the process.
• the cycle is repeated, and the tool is ready for the next tool function to be initiated from the waiting for invocation block 371, or the tool is stopped at block 380.
• FIG. 9 there is shown a PDL diagram of an example of a typical process description specifying the assistance given in one of the prototypes of the present invention which illustratively describes the different steps a secretary needs to take when handling a meeting. Since the process description is expressed through graphical symbols, the flow diagram of FIG. 9 employs such graphical symbols in the following discussion. Furthermore, the system 8 converts the graphical flow diagram to a format that can be interpreted by the assistant logic interpreter as described above.
• the textual information shown in FIGS. 9-15 is a partial view of the complete content of the flow diagram.
• Each graphical symbol can have different kinds of textual information attached to it; an informal comment, implicitly or explicitly specified executable code, documentation, parameter specifications, etc.
• the view presented in FIGS. 9-15 only shows the parameter specifications for the icons in order to simplify the diagrams and render them easier to read.
• both variables and constants are specified as parameters, with variables being designated by a question mark as the first character thereof.
• this view can be changed to any of the other views described previously.
• a basic building block in PDL is the activity construct which describes the conditions and effects of an activity and takes the general structure illustrated in FIG. 8.
• the activity icon 386 is surrounded on one side by the precondition icons 388.
• the precondition icons 388 describe the necessary conditions for the activity to be executed. For example, in FIG. 11, the symbols 140, 142, and 144 are all preconditions.
• the activity icon 386 acts as a reference to the complete construct, i.e., all of the preconditions and effects.
• the effect icon 390 can represent an operation to be performed, either by the user 16 or automatically through the assistant 12.
• shadow objects internal to the assistant are holders of state information. In order to keep track of documents, programs, the different processes, subprocesses, etc. all of them are represented as shadow objects in the assistant. These shadow objects are created when the corresponding real objects are created.
• the instantiation icon instantiation in general means creating a particular example from a template, such as a description of a shadow object
• a secretary task is instantiated.
• the diagram of the secretary task is in general describing a number of possible tasks and many different meetings can be arranged using this description.
• this particular meeting arrangement task When executing the description in order to assist a user in arranging a particular meeting, this particular meeting arrangement task must have a representation, i.e., a shadow object.
• the instantiation symbol 102 represents the creation of such an instance, which then can hold status information about this particular meeting arrangement task, and can be referred to from other parts of the diagram.
• FIGS. 9A-9C the process described relates to the tasks required of a secretary to arrange a business meeting or the like.
• the diagrams show different aspects of the process.
• the uppermost part, FIG. 9A is a descriptive illustration of the start conditions of the process while the middle part, FIG. 9B, describes the breakdown of the process into subprocesses.
• the secretary process as is possible for any other process handled by the support system 8, can contain several subprocesses.
• the subprocesses illustrated in FIG. 9B are the material subprocess 108, the notice subprocess 116, the meeting subprocess 118, the text editing subprocess 119, and the protocol handling subprocess 122.
• the material subprocess 108 describes how to collect the materials needed for the particular meeting while the notice subprocess 116 describes how to send information to the attendees of the meeting.
• the meeting subprocess 118 describes how to conduct the meeting and the text editing subprocess 119 describes how to enter text (for example, what tool to use).
• the protocol handling subprocess 122 describes how to handle the subtask of writing a protocol.
• FIG. 9C describes the stop condition of the process. It should also be understood that there exist other views of the process (interface view, activity view, etc.) which are not shown in FIGS. 9A-9C.
• Each of the subprocesses begins automatically once the criteria for instantiation have been satisfied, which for example, could be that a service which the process offers has been requested (such as text input from some other subprocess).
• a sequence of processes or subprocesses can also be described, and in this case the event important to the task of a succeeding process is the event "finished” reported by the preceding process.
• the transfer of information diagrammatically indicated by arrows such as the "edit” arrow 112 and the "material finished” arrow 114 within FIG. 10, further illustrates the exchange of events relevant to the subprocesses describing concurrent tasks.
• the arrows are of no semantic importance in the diagram and are only an informal way of describing information flow. The real exchange of information is handled by the inference engine of the underlying expert system and is described in detail in the corresponding subprocesses.
• the icon 100 represents the fact that the support system 8 begins its operation by receiving an external event that initiates the process (corresponding for example, to the user creating a new meeting arrangement task); the parameters of the event is the name ("start") and the kind of process to start ("secretary").
• Instantiation occurs at icon 102.
• the symbol 104 represents the setting of initial values associated with the secretary process, and is described as a state change of the process (the aspect "started" of the process is set to true).
• the activity icon 101 represents the complete activity, as described above.
• the edit arrow 112 indicates the material subprocess 108 referring to a service handled by another subprocess.
• the text editing subprocess 119 describes how to use a text editor which can be performed in parallel and concurrently with activities described by other subprocesses in the system.
• the "notes from meeting" event 120 from the meeting 118 indicates that data from the meeting is available.
• the meeting data is utilized by protocol handling subprocess 122 which represents the postmeeting work which must be done.
• the edit event 112 leads to further text editing by text editing subprocess 119.
• FIG. 9 illustrates event exchanges between subprocesses describing tasks that can be executed in parallel.
• the tasks of the material subprocess 108 and the notice subprocess 116 can occur in parallel, as is evidenced by the lack of any synchronizing events being exchanged between them.
• the condition describes the state where the halted aspect in any subprocess is true.
• the condition states that such a process must be of kind "protocol handling" to be of interest for this activity.
• the secretary process (identified by ?process) is found which owns the halted subprocess.
• the secretary process is halted.
• FIG. 10 there is also illustrated the method for processing data pursuant to the teachings of the present invention.
• This represents an instantiation of the notice subprocess 116 of FIG. 9.
• the secretary task must have been started, which is represented by the symbols 130 and 132 (the started aspect is true and the kind of process is "secretary").
• the activity 135 is begun and the instantiation of the notice subprocess 116 is effected in symbol 136 (the reference to this instance is "subprocess").
• the initial values of the notice subprocess are recorded as state information.
• FIG. 11 there is illustrated, in further detail, the method for processing data pursuant to the teachings of the present invention and, in particular, an edit activity 145.
• the mechanisms of the underlying expert system will detect when the preconditions of the activity are true.
• the symbol 140 indicates that the notice subprocess must be started.
• the symbol 142 indicates that data requiring temporary file storage will be generated through the present activity and, therefore, a temporary file name must be known in order to store the information (the way in which this is done is described in the code section of the symbol which is not shown here).
• the menu 144 functions as the description of interaction with the user 16.
• the menu symbol abstracts the way in which the assistant 12 interacts with the user 16, for example, activity lists can be presented to the user 16.
• the symbol represents the text (in this particular case "write notice") that is presented to the user 16.
• the text presented describes an activity that can or should be performed by the user 16.
• the menu 144 also implies an object, e.g., a file, code, etc., on which the activity is performed (in this case the temporary file represented by ?temp).
• the menu 144 represents a condition. Before the user 16 explicitly selects the activity in the activity list, this condition is always false, and the effects, such as execution of a tool function or a state change, are not effected.
• the description of the notice subprocess 116 continues with an activity 151 comprising the retrieval of data pertaining to who is going to attend the meeting.
• the symbol 150 indicates that information must be retrieved if the state of the "others" aspect of the process is false.
• the symbol 152 could result in a menu window which requests entry of those expected to attend which would then be described in the code view of the icon 152, using basic windowing primitives supported by the system.
• the symbol 154 represents the state of the notice subprocess 116 and symbolizes that retrieval of the names has occurred (the state of the "others" aspect is now true). This activity is triggered by the activity described below in connection with FIG. 13.
• an event from another subprocess is detected in which a file has been saved.
• This information originates from the text editing subprocess 119.
• the system performs a check to verify that the file saved is the same file as referred to in the temporary filename 142 (this is part of the state information of the process).
• the system next checks whether the next condition has been satisfied, i.e., whether all other attendees have been accounted for, which occurs at symbol 164. If this is not true, the activity of FIG. 12 is triggered in order to get the attendees.
• the system ascertains whether notices have previously been sent to the attendees (this is recorded as state information on the ?file object). This illustrates the non-sequential character of the overall support system 8.
• the menu 170 provides the user 16 with the choice of selecting the "send notice" activity 171.
• the assistant of the present invention sends the notice and prints it.
• the symbol 172 symbolizes an operation which loads, mails, and prints the notice for transmittal to all necessary parties (which could be achieved by using the UNIX mail and print services which are again described in the code view of the icon).
• the symbol 174 records the state information that the notice has been sent on the ?file object, and thereby this activity cannot be repeated.
• the symbol 180 indicates the condition that a "hard copy" of the notice must already have been created; in other words, the notice was printed (this occurs in activity 171 above).
• the menu 182 tells the user 16 that the notice should be placed on the notice board in the desired location.
• the activity 184 in this case represents an activity which the support system 8 cannot assist in by supplying tools; rather, the user 16 must physically place the notice himself or herself. Therefore the icon 186 indicates that only an internal state change takes place in this activity and no external tool is involved.
• the activity 194 comprising completion of the notice subprocess is illustrated therein.
• the conditions 190 and 192 are true when the notice has been sent and posted.
• the symbol 196 stops the process, and the symbol 198 records this state change. It also operates an event for processes interested in this fact due to the triggering mechanisms of the expert system. Referring back to FIG. 9, it is seen that the notice subprocess 116 leads to the meeting 118, when the finished arrow 114 is followed. Thus, at the occurrence of the event 198 the meeting 118 would be instantiated and the necessary steps and tasks required to complete the meeting would then take place.
• Appendix A A symbol identifier description is attached hereto as Appendix A.
• the description defines the graphical symbols utilized by the support system 8 as illustrated in FIGS. 8-15.
• Appendices B and C are detailed program listings for carrying out the data processing steps for a different prototype designed according to the teachings described in this application. More particularly, Appendices B and C are program listings illustrating the manner in which code is generated in ProKappa language by the PDL graphical language for execution within an expert system 20 of the type used in the present invention. While the exemplary processes defined by the program listings of Appendices B and C are entirely different from the example of the secretary process shown in FIGS. 8-15, the listings are instructive to illustrate how the PDL definition of a process is reduced to executable code.
• FIGS. 8-15 a number of different activities have been shown. These are internally non-sequential, since the conditions for each of them are tested for validity no matter which other activities have been performed. In this way a maximum of flexibility can be achieved for the end user.
• the formal description acts as a control program on top of a number of components, describing the logic that is needed in order to make single tools act in an integrated way.
• a central concept in PDL is the activity.
• An activity is represented by a cube.
• a general condition is represented by a triangle with the top pointing downwards.
• a condition is connected to an activity through a flow arrow.
• More than one condition can be connected to an activity. When one condition must be valid before the next can be tested, it is expressed as:
• the condition furthest away from the activity is tested first.
• Input (a general object) must exist.
• Input (a document or file) must exist in a certain status (described by parameters), for example a certain revision. This is a specialization of the previous symbol.
• Describes a time expression, for example that something should happen at a certain time (now. date> 1991-10-15).
• the corresponding activity is executed when the user selects the activity in the user interface.
• This condition should be placed last in a chain of conditions, so as to make certain that the rest of the conditions really are valid when the activity is performed.
• a general effect is represented by a triangle with its base downwards.
• An activity is connected to an effect through a flow arrow.
• a general object is created as output.
• Describes a time expression (for example wait for a certain time or timeout on an asynchronous signal sending).
• the signal can either be broadcasted or be directed to a specific receiver.
• Describes the creation of a shadow object (could represent a process or an object describing a real object such as a file).
• broker.requestService (?x, ESed, edit);
• Tnewcpp MakeAnonymousInstance (assistent, CppCodeObj);
• ?newcpp.Dbld SendMsg (?msg, formDbld, 0);
• ?newcpp.Type ListNth(?msg. Parameters, 3);
• ?cpp.Name ListNth (?msg. Parameters, 5) ;
• ?flow.DbId SendMsg(?msg. formDbld, 0) ;
• ACTIVITY 'close all subobjects and abort'
• ACTIVITY 'close all subobjects and abort'

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
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• Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
• Software Systems (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Stored Programmes (AREA)
• Debugging And Monitoring (AREA)
• Cyclones (AREA)
• Liquid Crystal (AREA)
• Lubricants (AREA)

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Cited By (3)

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Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (10)

• 1992
  • 1992-06-10 US US07/896,659 patent/US5485615A/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
• 1993
  • 1993-05-06 DK DK93913696T patent/DK0645032T3/da active
  • 1993-05-06 KR KR1019940703324A patent/KR100314262B1/ko not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 1993-05-06 WO PCT/SE1993/000398 patent/WO1993025960A1/en active IP Right Grant
  • 1993-05-06 DE DE69327318T patent/DE69327318T2/de not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-05-06 EP EP93913696A patent/EP0645032B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-05-06 ES ES93913696T patent/ES2142343T3/es not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-05-06 AU AU43636/93A patent/AU673528B2/en not_active Expired
  • 1993-05-06 BR BR9306516A patent/BR9306516A/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1993-05-20 CN CN93106166A patent/CN1069424C/zh not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 1993-06-03 MX MX9303341A patent/MX9303341A/es unknown
• 1994
  • 1994-12-07 NO NO944717A patent/NO944717L/no not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 1994-12-07 FI FI945742A patent/FI945742A0/fi unknown
• 2000
  • 2000-02-28 GR GR20000400482T patent/GR3032780T3/el unknown

Patent Citations (6)

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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